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Yang C, Xia L, Fu M, Chen Y, Kong X, Zhang S. DNA methylation-mediated phenylpropane and starch metabolism causes male poplars to be more tolerant to nitrogen deficiency than females. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 195:144-154. [PMID: 36638604 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. Dioecious plants, especially perennial plants, are often faced with a shortage of N supply in nature. Poplar is one of the most important dioecious and perennials species. Due to the different ecological functions, female and male poplars adopt different adaptation strategies to N limitation. However, the regulation in epigenetic mechanism is poorly understood on sexes. Here, the integrative analysis of whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), RNA sequencing, and plant physiological analysis on female and male Populus cathayana were performed. We found that N deficiency reprograms methylation in both sexes, and the CG and CHH methylation types played critical roles in female and male poplars, respectively. Induced by DNA methylation, N-deficient males had a stronger phenylpropanoid synthesis pathway and less anthocyanin accumulation than females, which not only strengthened the N cycle but also reduced the defense cost of males. In addition, compared with male poplars, females accumulated more starch to expend excess energy under N limited condition. Additionally, DNA methylation also mediated hormone signalling involved in anthocyanin synthesis and starch metabolism. Therefore, our study reveals new molecular evidences that male poplars are more tolerant to N deficiency than females, which provides a reference for ecological adaptability of forest trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Linchao Xia
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Mingyue Fu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Xiangge Kong
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China.
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Liu X, Zeng Y, Yang L, Li M, Fu M, Zhang S. Plagiodera versicolora feeding induces systemic and sexually differential defense responses in poplars. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13804. [PMID: 36270748 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Dioecious plants have evolved effective defense strategies to deal with various biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little is known regarding sexual differences in their defense against herbivores. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of systemic defense responses in male and female Populus cathayana attacked by Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting. The results revealed that P. cathayana exhibits sexually differential responses to a defoliator. The percentage of damaged leaf area was greater in males than in females. Furthermore, the observed saccharide changes imply that males and females exhibit different response times to defoliators. The contents of flavonoids and anthocyanins were significantly increased in both sexes but were higher in females. Specifically, the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway plays an important role. Expression of pest-related genes further revealed that hormones induce changes in downstream genes and metabolites, and upregulation of JA ZIM-domain (JAZ) and CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1) was more significant in females. In the undamaged adjacent leaves, metabolite and gene changes displayed similar patterns to the damaged local leaves, but levels of JA, JAZ1, and COI1 were higher in females. Therefore, our data confirmed that plants initiate the JA pathway to defend against herbivores, that there is systematic signal transduction, and that this ability is stronger in females than in males. This study provides new insights into the resistance of dioecious plants to herbivory and adds a new theoretical basis for the systemic signal transduction of plants in response to biotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Le Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Menghan Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingyue Fu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Wu X, Liu J, Meng Q, Fang S, Kang J, Guo Q. Differences in carbon and nitrogen metabolism between male and female Populus cathayana in response to deficient nitrogen. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:119-133. [PMID: 32822497 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism occurs regarding carbon and nitrogen metabolic processes in response to nitrogen supply. Differences in fixation and remobilization of carbon and allocation and assimilation of nitrogen between sexes may differ under severe defoliation. The dioecious species Populus cathayana was studied after two defoliation treatments with two N levels. Males had a higher capacity of carbon fixation because of higher gas exchange and fluorescence traits of leaves after severe long-term defoliation under deficient N. Males had higher leaf abscisic acid, stomatal conductance and leaf sucrose phosphate synthase activity increasing transport of sucrose to sinks. Males had a higher carbon sink than females, because under N-deficient conditions, males accumulated >131.10% and 90.65% root starch than males in the control, whereas females accumulated >40.55% and 52.81%, respectively, than females in the control group. Males allocated less non-protein N (NNon-p) to leaves, having higher nitrogen use efficiency (photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency), higher glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and higher leaf GDH expression, even after long-term severe defoliation under deficient N. Females had higher leaf jasmonic acid concentration and NNon-p. The present study suggested that females allocated more carbon and nitrogen to defense chemicals than males after long-term severe defoliation under deficient N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Wu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jiantong Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Qiqi Meng
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Shiyan Fang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jieyu Kang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Qingxue Guo
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
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Sun X, Guo Z, Jiang Y, Qin L, Shi Z, Dong L, Xiong L, Yuan R, Deng W, Wu H, Liu Q, Xie F, Chen Y. Differential Metabolomic Responses of Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars to Low Nitrogen Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:808772. [PMID: 35154204 PMCID: PMC8831703 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.808772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is a cool-season turfgrass species that responds strongly to nitrogen (N), but the metabolomic responses of this grass species to N supply is unknown. The N-tolerant cultivar Bluemoon and N-sensitive cultivar Balin were exposed to normal N (15 mM) and low N (0.5 mM) for 21 days for identification of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) between normal N and low N treatments. Balin had more reductions of chlorophyll and total soluble protein concentrations and a higher accumulation of superoxide radicals under low N stress. A total of 99 known DEMs were identified in either cultivar or both including 22 amino acids and derivatives, 16 carbohydrates, 29 organic acids, and 32 other metabolites. In Bluemoon, β-alanine metabolism was most enriched, followed by alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, biosynthesis of valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis, and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. In Balin, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were most enriched, followed by the tricarboxylic acid (TCA), glyoxylate and decarbohydrate metabolism, and carbon fixation. Bluemoon generally maintained higher TCA cycle capacity and had more downregulated amino acids, while changes in more organic acids occurred in Balin under low N stress. Some metabolite changes by low-N stress were cultivar-specific. The results suggested that regulation of metabolites related to energy production or energy saving could contribute to low N tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhixin Guo
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yiwei Jiang
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Ligang Qin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhenjie Shi
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lili Dong
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Liangbing Xiong
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Runli Yuan
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Wenjing Deng
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Hanfu Wu
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Qingqing Liu
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Fuchun Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Fuchun Xie,
| | - Yajun Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Yajun Chen,
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